Those are the breaks: Serena Williams destroys racket in win (Yahoo Sports) One destroyed racket - and one poor set - later, Serena Williams made it safely into the third round of the Rio Olympics as she bids for a second consecutive singles gold medal. The No. 1-seeded American struggled for quite a while Monday night, before emerging with a 7-6 (5), 6-2 victory over France's Alize Cornet, … [Read more...]

Rematch in Rio: Phelps, Le Clos face off in 200 fly (Yahoo Sports) When Michael Phelps decided to come out of retirement, he circled one race in particular on the Olympic schedule. At the London Games, in what was supposed to be his Olympic farewell, Phelps was leading as he came to the wall in the stroke he does better than anyone. Le Clos knows he'll be facing the most decorated athlete … [Read more...]

US boxer Nico Hernandez scores big upset of Russian star (Yahoo Sports) Nico Hernandez realized the enormous odds he faced when he stepped in the ring with Russia's Vasilii Egorov, the second-seeded light flyweight in the Olympic boxing tournament. Hernandez pulled off one of the biggest upsets of the Olympics' first three days on Monday night with a unanimous decision over Egorov, the … [Read more...]

American cyclists beginning to rue 4th place finishes (The Associated Press) There have been six road cycling events the past two Olympics, including the men's and women's road races over the weekend. Three times the Americans have finished fourth, including the stirring and heartbreaking finish by Mara Abbott along Copacabana Beach on Sunday. After animating the race on the final climb of … [Read more...]

Olympics-Cycling-Hoskins taken to hospital after Aussie crash (Reuters) * Australia women's pursuit team crash in training at velodrome * Scans show no broken bones for Hoskins (recasts with updated injury situation) By Martyn Herman RIO DE JANEIRO, Aug 9 (Reuters) - Australian track cyclist Melissa Hoskins said she hopes to compete in the women's team pursuit after escaping serious … [Read more...]

Missy Franklin's Rio debut is nothing like she planned (Yahoo Sports) Missy Franklin finally got in the pool at the Rio Olympics only to endure another disappointment in the most unsettling year of her career. The usually bubbly American swimmer who emerged a darling of the 2012 London Games with five medals failed to make the 200-meter freestyle final. Franklin finished last in her … [Read more...]

US women use balanced attack for 2nd rout, beat Spain 103-63 (Yahoo Sports) Everywhere Sue Bird looks on the court, there's someone in a U.S. jersey that can score. From top to bottom this version of the American Olympic women's basketball team is stacked with offensive weapons. Diana Taurasi scored 13 points and Sylvia Fowles added 12 on Monday as the U.S. posted its second blowout in as … [Read more...]

Ledecky, not Franklin, all the swimming rage at Rio Olympics (Yahoo Sports) In a hallway beneath the Olympic Aquatics Stadium, Missy Franklin was surrounded by the media after her first race of the Rio de Janeiro Games. Until Katie Ledecky walked by. At least half the reporters bolted away from Franklin while she was in mid-answer Monday, all of them eager to fire a few questions at … [Read more...]

Fast feet: Bolt says sub-19 seconds in 200 still a goal (Yahoo Sports) The closing number said it all: After talking about life, sprinting and the Olympics - and yes, Bolt insisted the Rio de Janeiro Games will be his last - the 6-foot-5 Jamaican pulled out his cell phone and started taking selfies while he shimmied off stage , surrounded by more than a dozen thong-and-headdress-wearing … [Read more...]

US men's basketball blasts Venezuela 113-69 after slow start (Yahoo Sports) Red, white and blase for one quarter, the U.S. Olympic team woke up and won with ease. Shaking off a sluggish, sloppy start and maybe some Brazilian boredom, the Americans regrouped in the second quarter and romped over Venezuela 113-69 on Monday, taking another step toward a possible third straight gold medal. … [Read more...]